The Medical School’s coordinators of disability services are the class counselors in the Office of Medical Student Education.

Students with disabilities who need special accommodation must have:

Declared their disability.

Provided documentation to their class counselor or the central campus office, well before accommodation is needed.

In order to receive accommodation, students must have their documentation reviewed and approved.

All questions about disability should be go to the respective class counselor in the Office of Medical Student Education.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Many U-M offices, in the process of doing their assigned jobs, collect and maintain information about students.

Although these records belong to the university, university policy and federal law afford students a number of rights concerning these records. The Federal Family Educational rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) establishes the rules and regulations regarding access to and disclosure of student records.

For more information on the Medical School’s FERPA policy, contact the Office of Medical Student Education at 734-763-4147.

Identity Theft Prevention Program

Refund Policy

U-M has a tuition refund policy that describes the amount of tuition and fees that are refunded to a student who withdraws from all classes during a term.

This policy is published online by the Office of the Registrar and by the Medical School Financial Aid Office. Review the refund policy online, or contact the Medical School Financial Aid Office for a copy.

Repayment Policy (Return of Title IV Aid)

The federal government mandates that students who withdraw from all classes may keep only the financial aid (federal “Title IV” grant and loan assistance) they have “earned” up to the time of withdrawal.

Funds that were disbursed in excess of the earned amount must be returned by the university and/or the students to the federal government. Review the repayment policy online, or contact the Medical School Financial Aid Office for a copy.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP)

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to describe a student's successful completion of coursework toward a degree or certificate. Students who receive Federal Financial Aid must, in accordance with federal regulations, be in good standing and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress toward their degree. Under Federal Title IV law, the school’s SAP requirements must meet certain minimum requirements, and be at least as strict as the institution’s established standards for good academic standing.

The standards used to evaluate academic progress are cumulative and, therefore, include all periods of the student’s enrollment, including periods during which the student did not receive federal financial aid funds.

General Policy

All students receiving federal student financial aid must adhere to the UMMS Bulletin Policies and Procedures for Medical Student Evaluation, Advancement and Graduation, approved by the University of Michigan Medical School Executive Committee yearly in order to maintain SAP.

Students must pass all courses/sequences/clerkships and achieve designated milestones in each academic level in order to advance to the next level in the curriculum. Students will not be promoted until all incomplete (I), incomplete due to exam failure (I/E) and/or failing (F) grades are remediated.

Qualitative Requirements (Grades)

The Medical School Registrar reviews all student grades monthly and works with the Assessment and Evaluation Unit to create the agenda for the Competency Committees. All students not receiving a passing grade in any basic science course or clinical clerkship are included on the agenda and reviewed by the Board at their monthly meeting.

Students that receive 3 incomplete due to exam grades (I/E) or 1 failing (F) grade during the course of their medical education are placed on Academic Warning (AW). The Competency Committees* closely monitor progress of all students on AW and provide input to the Executive Committee as a dismissal recommendation moves forward**. Students with AW + 3 (AW + 2 for students entering in academic year 2015 and after) will be recommended for dismissal and will be ineligible for financial assistance. All students on AW will be referred for appropriate academic assistance.

Students recommended for dismissal may appeal to the Executive Committee for reinstatement as outlined in the UMMS Bulletin Policies and Procedures for Medical Student Evaluation, Advancement and Graduation. Students who successfully petition for reinstatement may regain eligibility for federal financial aid funding and will be placed on financial aid “probation”. Students must adhere to any stipulations placed on them by the Executive Committee to remain eligible for funding.

The Financial Aid Office will review the Deficiency Tracking Report provided by the Registrar each month, and will terminate financial aid eligibility as necessary for any student placed on this report as outlined above. The Financial Aid Office will also be notified of any action by the Competency Committees and Executive Committee through the Medical School Registrar’s Office.

Quantitative Requirements (Progress toward Degree)

The quantitative component measures the pace at which the student must progress through his or her program of study. This is done to ensure completion within the maximum timeframe permitted and to provide for the measurement of the student’s progress at the end of each term. Pace or completion ratio is calculated by determining the cumulative number of semesters the student has successfully completed divided by the number of cumulative semesters the student has attempted.

Completing the M.D. degree normally takes 4 academic years or 8 semesters of full time enrollment. To meet the definition of Satisfactory Academic Progress for the purpose of financial aid eligibility, students must complete the pre-clinical phase (years 1 and 2) of the curriculum within 3 years (6 semesters of full time enrollment) of their initial enrollment. They must finish clinical coursework (years 3 and 4) within 3 years (6 semesters of full time enrollment) of starting the clinical phase.

The maximum amount of time allowed for federal financial aid eligibility is 6 years or 12 semesters of full time enrollment.

Treatment of Repeat Coursework

Student may receive financial aid funding for the repeat of a failing grade or withdraw of any class or classes. Repeat of the same course may only be funded one additional time. Every attempt of a repeated course counts as attempted toward the completion rate.

Impact of Leave of Absence

If a student has been granted a personal leave of absence, that leave period may be excluded from the required time frame in which a student is expected to finish coursework. Students on leave of absence are treated as withdrawn for financial aid purposes and are subject to Return of Title IV requirements.

Financial Aid Termination

Students who do not meet all of the above SAP requirements will lose their eligibility for all federal financial aid administered by the Medical School Financial Aid Office beginning with the term immediately following the term in which the SAP requirements were not met. The Financial Aid Office will notify the student in writing of their aid suspension status and the appeal process for possible reinstatement.

Probation Period

Probation is the status assigned to a student who fails to meet SAP standards and has appealed on extenuating circumstances and has had their eligibility for federal aid reinstated. A student on financial aid “probation” may receive financial aid for one enrollment period. Students must show improvement in coursework and progression in order to continue receiving federal financial aid. Progress will be based on the standards outlined in the Policies and Procedures for Medical Student Evaluation, Advancement and Graduation.

Appeal Process

Students may appeal any loss of financial aid eligibility, in writing, to the Assistant Dean for Student Services and the Director of Financial Aid. The appeal letter must show the existence of mitigating circumstances that should be taken into consideration. Supporting documentation and academic plan for advancement may be required. The Assistant Dean and Director of Financial Aid may also consult with the student’s academic counselor for additional input. The Assistant Dean and Director of Financial Aid will consider each appeal on its merits and notify the student of the outcome of the appeal.